Sometimes

Sometimes

Fighting wars doesn’t always look like the movies.
Sometimes it  looks like dropping the kids off at school,
and fighting a few battles before picking them back up at 3.

It’s phone calls while making dinner,
and emailing evidence before
meeting friends for drinks.

It’s checking homework,
while running through the story
one more time in your mind.

Wars can be won in between
the mundane activities of the day,
so the world can be better
for those that come behind us.

Rebuilding

Rebuilding

There were cracks in the fragile theology 
that I held on to so tightly
but then *the thing* happened 
and it all finally shattered 
a hundred pieces on the ground 
and all of it had mattered

So I began to rebuild piece by piece
from the pile that lay at my feet.
I’d hold each piece close and then decide
this one is true, this one is right,
but this one, this one feels like a lie

And I gathered some new pieces along the way- 
a few new colors and some areas of gray
and I’m certain of little,
but what I know today
is if God is real, then He is kind,
and to ask questions is ok

And the thing that sits in front of me now-
it’s smaller, simpler, less fragile somehow 

Ember of Hope

Ember of Hope

 

As I searched for the hope within these ashes,
I couldn’t have guessed you’d be the ember
that remained to light the night,
and that all the moments where hope was far
held tomorrows I wouldn’t have believe

Nothing takes away the sorrow
of the injustices I’ve seen,
but in watching you experience the world,
with eyes wide open, somewhat naively,
I can see the wonder again.
I can feel it in every question you ask
as you ask how we got here,
and why God allows the bad,
your little mind always looking to learn.

 The tiniest ember growing fully
into exactly who you’re meant to be,
continually lighting up this dark world,
and I’m so grateful for this front row seat 

 

 

 

 

 

What are they saying

What are they saying

What are they saying in the rooms you aren’t in?
The rooms you may not enter, according to them.
The spaces where they freely say what they think about you
Where they crack their jokes, and giggle like fools
Where they craft their public statements, 
and plan their careless responses
Where they choose to bask in the laughter
And let it drown out their conscience

They can have their closed board rooms
and their self-congratulatory chatter
And legacies that are meaningless
And titles that don’t matter
They can use their energy 
to keep up the facade
That the evil they do, they do for God
Let them worship each other
While we go and tell our stories
About the ones who stepped on us
If it meant they’d get some glory
The ones who yelled and screamed
Whenever they felt threatened
Let them cower in their board rooms
While we let ourselves in 

The Tree

The Tree


I thought the tree was beautiful,
Covered in red and yellow, hints of gold
And I knew the tree to be as strong as it was tall
And the seasons changed and the leaves with them
Everything looked different once winter hit
The tree was bare, and a storm rolled in
The once beautiful tree swayed nervously in the wind 
But when the leaves were gone
That made me believe it was strong
It still stood tall, still held on
And the storm, it passed like they always do
And the tree, it stood the only way it knew
At the core, always the same,
As strong as ever before
With the covering, or without, 
It still withstands the storm.

You Needed

You Needed

You heard her story 
But needed every detail
before you’d believe
Needed her to lay herself bare
Required her to tell it a certain way
And do the work to make you care

You simply cannot fathom that 
You could believe her story
Without knowing every single detail
And even then, with it all on the floor
You’ll tell her how she’s failed
Didn’t do enough to protect herself
Didn’t speak up soon enough
Didn’t pull herself out of her personal hell
To quickly rise above

And you’ll ask about the offender
Try your best to clear his name
Because if he must suffer for his actions
Then none of you are safe
But isn’t that what scares you after all…
That a woman could speak truth loud enough 
To trigger an evil mans fall?